LOCATION SELDOM             CO
Established Series
WSH/LC
03/2006

SELDOM SERIES


The Seldom series consists of very deep, somewhat poorly drained soils on flood plains and hills. They formed in mixed eolian material and alluvium. Slopes range from 0 to 25 percent. Mean annual precipitation is about 30 centimeters (12 inches). Mean annual air temperature is about 10 degrees C. (50 degrees F.)

TAXONOMIC CLASS: Coarse-loamy, mixed, superactive, mesic Aeric Calciaquolls

TYPICAL PEDON: Seldom sandy loam - irrigated hayland (Colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted)

A1--0 to 18 centimeters (0 to 7 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine granular structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many fine and medium roots; neutral; clear smooth boundary. (13 to 18 centimeters (5 to 7 inches) thick)

A2--18 to 38 centimeters (7 to 15 inches); dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) sandy loam, very dark grayish brown (10YR 3/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; hard, friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; slightly effervescent; moderately alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (8 to 20 centimeters (3 to 8 inches) thick)

Bkg1--38 to 86 centimeters (15 to 34 inches); light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) sandy loam, grayish brown (10YR 5/2) moist; weak fine subangular blocky structure; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations throughout; very strongly alkaline; clear smooth boundary. (28 to 48 centimeters (11 to 19 inches) thick)

Bkg2--86 107 centimeters (34 to 42 inches); white (10YR 8/1) sandy loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; massive; very hard, friable, slightly sticky and slightly plastic; few fine roots; few fine masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; few fine faint gray (10YR 6/1) redoximorphic depletions and few fine distinct yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations throughout; very strongly alkaline; gradual smooth boundary. (13 to 61 centimeters (5 to 24 inches) thick)

Bkg3--107 to 152 centimeters (42 to 60 inches); white (10YR 8/1) stratified sandy loam and sandy clay loam, light brownish gray (10YR 6/2) moist; massive; hard, friable, slightly sticky and nonplastic; few fine roots; few fine masses of calcium carbonate; violently effervescent; few fine prominent yellowish brown (10YR 5/6) redoximorphic concentrations throughout; moderately alkaline.

TYPE LOCATION: Lincoln County, Colorado; approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles) west of Karval; about 442 meters (1,450 feet) east and 518 meters (1,700 feet) north of the southwest corner of Sec. 21, T. 15 S., R. 58 W. 38 degrees 47 minutes 34 seconds north latitude and 103 degrees 53 minutes 53 seconds west longitude.

RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature: 10 to 12 degrees C. (49 to 54 degrees F.)
Depth to redoximorphic features: 25 to 61 centimeters (10 to 24 inches)
Particle-size control section:
Clay content: 10 to 18 percent
Mollic epipedon: 25 to 38 centimeters (10 to 15 inches) thick
Rock fragments: 5 percent and are fine gravel
Depth to calcium carbonate concentrations: 8 to 38 centimeters (3 to 15 inches)

A horizons:
Hue: 10YR
Value: 4 or 5, 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 to 3
Texture: sandy loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 3 to 10 percent
Reaction: neutral to moderately alkaline

Upper Bkg horizons:
Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 6 to 8, 4 to 6 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: sandy loam
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 20 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline

Lower Bkg horizons:
Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y, or 5Y
Value: 6 to 8, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: loamy sand, sandy loam, loam, silty clay loam, sandy clay loam, or sandy clay, is often stratified
Calcium carbonate equivalent: 10 to 20 percent
Reaction: moderately alkaline to very strongly alkaline

COMPETING SERIES: There are no other series in this family.

GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform: flood plains and side slopes of hills
Slopes: 0 to 25 percent
Parent material: mixed eolian material and alluvium
Mean annual precipitation: 28 to 41 centimeters (11 to 16 inches), most of which falls during the months of April through September
Mean annual temperature: 8 to 12 degrees C. (47 to 53 degrees F.)
Frost-free period: 125 to 155 days
Elevation: 1219 to 1829 meters (4,000 to 6,000 feet)

GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bankard, Glenburg, Midway, and Vonid soils.
Bankard and Glenburg soils are on floodplains.
Midway and Vonid soils are on hills.
Bankard and Vonid soils are somewhat excessively drained.
Glenburg and Midway soils are well drained.

DRAINAGE AND SATURATED HYDRAULIC CONDUCTIVITY:
Drainage: somewhat poorly drained
Flooding: rarely flooded
Runoff: very low to high runoff
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity: high

USE AND VEGETATION: These soils are used primarily for hayland and pasture areas irrigated by development of the perched water table and small springs adjacent to the flood plain.
Native species are Alkali sacaton, inland saltgrass, western wheatgrass, baltic rush, Nebraska sedge, and switchgrass.

DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: East central Colorado. This series is of minor extent with about 2,000 acres in Lincoln County. MLRA 67 and 69

MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Denver, Colorado

SERIES ESTABLISHED: Lincoln County, Colorado: 1994

REMARKS: Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are:
Mollic epipedon: 0 to 38 centimeters (0 to 15 inches) (A horizons)
Calcic horizon: 38 to 152 centimeters (15 to 60 inches) (Bkg horizons)

The name is taken from Seldom Ridge Draw on Peace Valley Quadrangle CO (1978).
Keys to Soil Taxonomy used: Eighth Edition, 1998

Modified format by LRM in 3/2006 to include metric conversion and change permeability to saturated hydraulic conductivity.


National Cooperative Soil Survey
U.S.A.